Disclaimer: I own the OCs, the rest is Akira Amano's work.
Fratellanza
"You know, a phone would have worked as well," I told Jaeger as he dropped me on the cold floor of Vendicare.
I thought I was free from problems with them but there we were. In any case, in the room was Bermuda, in the middle of seven storage spheres, each of them having a different Dying Will Flame.
My eyes found Romain's and he widened his.
"Is that why you summoned me!?" he barked at the baby.
"Stop acting like a child," Bermuda reprimanded him.
"Bu..."
"If you hate me that much maybe you should give me the ring back," I cut him off coldly. He turned surprised eyes to me and narrowed them.
"Are you really trying to boss me around?"
"Are you hard of hearing?" He stomped toward me. He grabbed me by my collar and I smacked him as hard as I could.
He widened his eyes, his face turned to the side.
"You're pissed at me because I left without you when I was five? Fine. But I didn't grow up with my biological father or his Family, so you can't blame me for this. Also, whatever problem you have with me you take it to me, not someone else." I forced him to drop me. "And I didn't give you the authorization to take the Cloud Ring, so you better give it back to me if you don't change your attitude." He shot me a dumbfounded look.
"You can bite after all." I raised a brow. "From the memories I got from the Future and how that annoying guy wanted to beat me himself, I thought you still couldn't fight on your own."
"I can defend myself just fine now."
"The reason I made you come here today Luciana-kun has nothing to do with your penalty," Bermuda told us. "I won't put into action the warning I gave you during the battles." I would call that a threat and not a 'warning' but whatever. "I'm aware a certain someone visited you recently." I scoffed and crossed my arms.
"How do you know that?"
"The same way I know about every single fight Sawada Tsunayoshi has been involved in since Reborn-kun came in Namimori." He was so casual about it… "What did Guillermo-kun tell you?" Romain grabbed my shoulders, eyes filled with fury while my father's name was on repeat in my mind. I shouldn't be crept out by the fact it seemed so familiar by now.
"What, he saw you!?"
"It was a great way to meet him." I lowered the scarf around my neck. "What about him? He didn't tell me much that could help you put him in jail."
"Do you have the name of the Family?"
"Huh...the Venjador Familía?"
"Good, we can tell you more now."
"Isn't that illegal as I am part of another organization?" Bermuda, Romain and even Jager chuckled with superiority.
Right, if we broke the laws we were sent in their prison.
"It's one of the good thing that comes with the job," Romain stated.
"You can't know anything about the Mafia Family, but no law prohibits a child to know about their parents. There is a nuance." Sure? "Guillermo Garcia Burguera, born on August 1st, 1959 in Barcelona from Mihai Bucatar later Garcia, a Romanian gypsy, and Maria Burguera, of Catalan and Spanish, and if we go even further Italian and French as well, origins." Suddenly, my grandparents were real people.
Wait, is having a Romanian grandfather the reason Xanxus likes this raccoon tail?
"He was a brilliant student in regular and Mafia fields and became a respected neurosurgeon while also doing a lot of research on the brain and how Dying Will Flames could improve a human being. He saw an opportunity to test his research when the Estraneos started to make waves and acquired them as the Ninth Boss of the Venjador Familía."
"If you have so much information about him how come he's still free?" Bermuda clicked his tongue in frustration.
"It is highly embarrassing to admit but he keeps finding loopholes in our laws so we end up not having enough charges to sentence him." I deadpanned at him.
"So being experimented on is worth prison but somehow the guy responsible for it is not sent in jail because of fucking loopholes!?" I snapped.
"The Mafia is as broken and rotten as its laws are," Romain pipped up. I shot him a startled look.
"And shouldn't the guardians of our laws do something!?"
"We are supposed to be impartial," Jaeger said behind me. I looked at him above my shoulder. "If we are the ones to change the laws without any change in the rest of the Mafia, we will lose this impartiality. We must follow what the norms are so that we can be neutral."
"Yeah I get it, the rotten system blocks you," I muttered under my breath. "I'm going to send Timoteo into a nursing home and glue Tsunayoshi to this fucking chair myself if it continues like this." I frowned at Bermuda. "So? I doubt you made me come just to kindly share information with me."
"True. Do you know why I warned you during the Battles?"
"Because of my perceptiveness? Really, sometimes I feel like I'm the only one to notice with Arro that nothing makes sense in the Mafia."
"It's not the topic for now. However, you are perceptive and think fast. You somehow managed to get where you are now even if everything pointed at you dying in the lab." I pursed my lips. "And now you have the Sky Mare Ring, it could be useful to finally send Guillermo in one of our lowest cells."
"Are you saying you want me to work with you?"
"A service that would free you from the Venjador Familía for good and could get you a reviewing of the charges still against you." I raised a brow.
"Interesting. It's just that if my father can't work as the Boss, I'll inherit immediately, I know that. Especially knowing to make this work, I would need to get close to him, so quit."
"Would you rather live in your bubble with your father able to burst it at any moment or burst it yourself and finally be free?" From Bermuda, this kind of talks had meanings knowing how freedom was something he had wanted so desperately for years. Also, my father had watched all of my moves for years, so much that I needed to be in a protected place to be safe.
I didn't want that for the years I still had.
"Can I think about it? No offense but it'd be a big change."
"I guess. Romain will be your contact."
"What now?" the French one shot back.
"You have a score to settle with her father, don't you?"
"Yeah b..."
"Then it's settled, Jaeger, give her something to contact Romain." I crossed my arms and smirked smugly at Romain, who rolled his eyes and followed Jaeger.
When I was sent back to my hospital room, I found my brothers with disbelieved faces.
"Hey." I dodged Dino and climbed in my bed. "Alright, you might want to sit down."
"You were in Vendicare," Xanxus almost accused me.
"Yeah but it was for..."
"You were in Vendicare!"
I ignored him and told them the information I had on my father. I kept to myself the deal Bermuda basically gave me, and anything impacting my future.
"You're missing an eye," I heard Alaric say in his room from the hallway. I gulped.
Dino was right, he was awake now. Also, most people who fought against the Vindice were back in their homes now. Dino was leaving later today with my uncle and Zac to put them in a safe place.
It was good to know Rick was awake now. The whole VARIA had gone back to Italy, minus Xanxus who was not entirely comfortable with leaving me alone. I was sure Dino and him had some kind of agreement going on at the moment.
"And you almost died."
"You're still missing an eye."
"Well I met my brother leaving town so..."
"What?" Alaric hissed coldly. I blinked. He seemed furious but also terrified at the idea. "Did he see the Miss? Actually, is she alright? Did the fight with the Arcobalenos end?" I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
"Uncle, can I come in or do you still need more time?" My uncle opened the door with a big grin.
"I love it when you call me like this!" I stepped aside to avoid his excess of love. He cleared his throat. "I'm done, it's better if you take over."
"Got it." I sat down where he was a second ago while he left us alone.
Alaric was looking at me up and down, trying to see any injuries. At least I didn't need a wheelchair as much as at first now. I briefly explained to him how the Arcobalenos Battles ended and that every Arcobalenos were curse-free, plus Checker Face's surprise appearance.
"I lost a leg but they reattached it," I ended up saying, showing my right leg. "Xanxus needs a lung transplant and Kyoya's in a coma because he fought Romain on his own."
"I'm sorry I couldn't fight as well Miss." I shook my head.
"If it wasn't for you, I would have been killed during the surprise attack." I frowned at him. "I know it's your job, hell I was a Guardian once upon a time and I know what it is like to lose your Sky, but I don't want to lose an Element either Alaric. If you pull that kind of shit again, I'll make you pay for it." He just blinked and smiled faintly.
"I apologize Miss."
"You're not off the hook yet." I leaned my elbows on my knees. "Guillermo Garcia Burguera, neurosurgeon, keeps finding loopholes in Mafia laws to stay out of Vendicare, Boss of the Venjador Familía, sounds familiar?" My Mist pursed his lips. "I can't know any of the Family's business, but it seems I'm allowed to know stuff about my father. Funny thing is, now I know you were born with a heart defect, I believe him when he says he did something to you that made you healthy again and that the experiments were what made him able to do it!" My eyes were staring at him sternly. "I can understand there are things you don't want me to know, that you can't tell me or that you're not comfortable with, but there's a moment where I'll stop trusting you entirely if you remain silent and I keep learning things from others. You're the person I've known the longest Alaric, I know you know my story best as well, but I'm sick of it now."
"It's...complicated Miss." I chuckled dryly.
"I've been sent in a dystopia future, almost got killed by a guy supposed to be dead for four centuries, almost died to break some magical babies curses and fought zombies, and with this let's add the continuous emotional weight piling up on top of me ever since the Rings Conflict and the fact my father is there, ready to harm people I care about just to make me 'go home'. Let's not forget how I'm the Sky Mare Ring wielder now and I technically can see in parallel worlds. Trust me, your story is nothing I can't handle by now. If you can't tell me, then I won't rely on you anymore. For all I know you could have been reporting everything to my father for years now."
"I didn't!" he defended himself with wide eyes. I shot his ECG a look. His heart was beating faster. "I know I hid many things from you, but I wasn't reporting anything to your father Miss, I swear!"
"Then talk for once!"
"I..." He looked like a trapped animal. "I will, just...not here Miss." I was about to say something, but he beat me to it. "Please Miss, I don't want to say this in the hospital."
"I think I've been patient enough."
"I know, but I'd rather say it in...in a safe space." I had been patient for a long time.
Unlike Xanxus, I would consider myself as patient when it came to many things, especially important ones. As someone who didn't like talking about the past, I could understand someone struggling to open up about theirs. However, it was Alaric and I had been patient for years.
It was the problem. It was Alaric, ever-reliable, ever cool-headed Alaric who knew so many things. It was the same Alaric who was clearly panicking and scared by the idea of talking to me.
"Fine," I conceded, "but you better tell me everything you're allowed to."
"Understood." I rolled my shoulders to release some tension. "So, where is Zac?"
"Oh, well there's the language barrier so he's at the apartment with Arro. Him and Enrique will benefit from the Cavallones' protection."
"That's good." It was the end of the conversation.
"Dad said I'd go to school for real now," Zacarias told me while we were at the airport.
"Well, at thirteen isn't it normal?"
"When did you leave school?"
"Graduated at fourteen and home schooled since I was nine, but don't do like me." He shrugged.
"I don't know, if it's a normal school I'll never be able to be honest." I ruffled his hair awkwardly. I had the opportunity to spend some time with my cousin, we got along but...it was still awkward.
He didn't care and gave me a hug before running to his father. I hugged my brother and told him to take care of them and himself, he kissed my temple and left. My uncle tried to hug me but I looked away.
I fought the urge to punch him when I heard him ask Dino for stories about me when I was a child. Did he have no shame or what?
The funny thing was, when I went home, I was released from the hospital, Xanxus was in my couch, watching TV and eating chips.
It was a family thing to have no shame.
"What the..."
"Guess who decided to live here for an unknown amount of time!" Arro greeted me, showing up in front of me. "Your brother Lulu! I didn't agree with that!"
"Go to a hotel then trash," my brother oh-so-kindly told him. Arro pulled a face.
"I didn't agree either."
"I'm the oldest, you do as I say."
"Well isn't this just lovely?" I mumbled. "You're aware that here you have no right to be acting like a king right?" Xanxus looked at me with a raised brow, basically telling me he'd like to see how he wasn't a king. "I'm serious. Arro's a free loader..."
"Hey!"
"...but he helps quite a lot. And if you really intend on staying here, you're sleeping in the couch. It's a convertible." He sat up.
"I'm taking your bed."
"But it's my bed." He shrugged.
"I don't give a shit if you're in it or not when I'm sleeping. You can take the couch if you want."
"It's my bed!"
"And I could have knocked your head in walls when you were a baby and I didn't," he replied, his tone indicating he was done with this discussion.
"I don't owe you anything for th...Xanxus?" He was already sleeping. I looked at Arro with wide eyes. He shrugged.
"He...completely beat you Lulu."
"...he knows I'm not his subordinate or slave, right?" He pursed his lips.
"Well...I don't know him that well but from what I've seen...if it ticks you off he'll treat you as such." I sighed deeply. "I was going to visit Kyoya, you're coming with me?"
"No I'm good."
"You haven't visited him that much though."
"Well I was busy and I'll keep being busy because Tetsuya will need someone to help running the Committee."
"It's not what I meant." I averted my eyes from him. "If he knew you were feeling guilty about it he'd bite you to death or something."
"He can't really do that right now, can he?" I replied wryly. "Sorry, it's just..."
"I know, it's not easy to see someone close to you in this state." I bit the inside of my cheek. Him and Rick, and Kyoya as well, had to see me unconscious in the hospital as well. "Just bring flowers or something every two days at least." He grabbed his coat and was out of the apartment.
Kyoya couldn't see me or hear me right now, there was no real point to visit him. Sure, when I visited him I felt awkward and wanted to cry out of guilt and I had a lump in my throat each time I thought of him, but it was just useless to visit him. He'd appreciate it more if Namimori remained protected and the DC running, even in his absence.
Someone had to work in his place, he'd understand why I didn't visit a lot.
It was...it was the right thing to do in this kind of situations, he'd understand.
I walked over to my brother and tried to take the bag of chips but he caught my wrist, his eyes snapping open.
"You can't eat salty because of your kidney." I frowned as he sat up.
"How do you know that?"
"Haneuma told me before leaving." I rolled my eyes. I wasn't exactly surprised but still. "Do you...need a transplant or something?"
"Keep your organs in your body Fratello. You're already missing a lung." He rolled his eyes and I sat down next to him. I pulled my knees against my chest and put my chin on them. "Do you think you'll find a donor soon?" He crossed his arms on his chest.
"You know what the VARIA does Ann'?" I nodded. "Then I don't have to 'find' one, I make one." I shook my head, not surprised at all. "You like that boy?"
"What boy? Arro?"
"No, the Cloud trash." I widened my eyes and tried to control my blush but failed. He rolled his eyes. "You couldn't wait longer?"
"Well sorry but you don't really control these things! I don't even want to talk about this with you!"
"Me neither it's disgusting," he immediately shot back with a frown, "but you're too young for that."
"I'm seventeen in three months."
"Yeah, too young."
"You're way too protective." He glared at me.
"I know how guys think Luciana."
"What part of 'I don't want to talk about this with you' you don't understand exactly!?" I snapped, red like a tomato. "I mean, it would have happened one day anyway!" He grumbled things under his breath. "You're not my dad!"
"I'm your older brother," he said as if it was the same. I shook my head once again. "I can't let you...have feelings for the first trash you see."
"Wow, you think I have low standards?" He pursed his lips. "Anyway, let's stop talking about this Fratello." He seemed to calm down a little when I called him 'Fratello'. "Can you promise me something?" He raised a brow at me. "Promise me you won't try to...no, just stay away from Guillermo." He blinked at me and frowned, turning his body toward me. His arm was resting on the back of my couch.
"That trash won't stop until he's successful in kidnapping you Ann'."
"I'm aware, thanks."
"I'm supposed to just let him?" he groaned with a glare.
"No, it's not...I just don't want you to go after him, on your own or with your men. Actually, keep them out of this business period."
"Obviously."
"Then you promise?"
"No!" he retorted with wide eyes, as if it was obvious and I was asking him the impossible. "I'm not letting him hurt you again, and I'm not letting him off the hook if I know what he's about to do!" I looked down. "And anyway, I bet you'd go after him on your own as well." I tensed. "Tch, I knew it." He smacked me on the head.
"But if Mom gave you to Timoteo it was to protect you from him. Legally you're not even his son and he can't really approach you directly, so..." He pulled me in his arms.
"Shut up idiot." I leaned my cheek against his chest. "That trash won't get his hands on you and I'll make sure of it, end of the story. If you try to fly solo, I'll know and make you pay for it. Understand?"
"Yes sir," I mumbled weakly. "It's just..."
"If you say some shit like 'it doesn't concern you' I'll get mad Luciana." I hugged him back quietly.
"I don't like seeing you angry," I confessed. I felt his chest vibrating when he chuckled dryly.
"I know." He put his chin on the top of my head. "I'm as involved as you are."
Slowly, things went back to normal. Xanxus was spending most of his day lazying around at home and going to the hospital. Mammon was not there but their illusion was, but my brother needed to go check if everything was alright. Kyoya was still in the hospital, still not awake. Feng and Fon were still in town, visiting him and taking care of protecting Namimori. I had my hands full with the Committee, wondering how Kyoya could do all of that with so many incompetent morons in the DC, patrolling and hanging out with Arro and I.
February was there. Alaric went back to school to teach. It was currently homeroom period and our class representatives were talking about the coming school festival aiming at showing how great the school was to convince elementary school students to enroll here next year.
I looked at Ryohei. I was in the last row, next to the window. There were six rows of desks. Arro was in fifth one, pretty close to the door and still relatively at the back. Ryohei was in the row next to me, but closer to the front of the room.
The guy was not the brightest of the bunch, and with everything that happened this year, would he even graduate middle school?
Would I have to go to high school? There was no DC there, no one to really watch like here with Tsunayoshi and his gang. I also didn't want to go through high school. Having to go to school while I could technically already be at the end of whatever university year I could have been in didn't really sit well with me, even if age-wise I was just a year older than my classmates.
"A cosplay cafe!" the boy suggested with passion, slamming his hands on the desk. "We should have a cosplay cafe!"
"What Nikimura-kun is trying to say is that a cafe could bring us a lot of people and having different cosplay representing personal talents or different activities of the school would be a great way to show all of Nami-Middle potential," the girl explained professionally.
"A cosplay cafe!" Nikimura repeated, hitting his palms against the desk to accentuate his words. "I want every girl in this class to wear cute outfits and it goes for you as well Sini-san, Yuri-san!" I shot said Yuri a look. She was pretty much a yanki with short bleached hair.
There had been some troubles because of her looks, but she had my respect for the balls she had so I managed to get her an authorization for bleached hair and a longer skirt, but no piercings or other changes in her uniform.
She looked at the wall while I nodded.
Yeah, I was a part of the Committee and yes, I wasn't one to socialize if I didn't feel like it, but it didn't mean I was mean for no reasons when someone talked to me. Me being friends with Kyoya kind of pushed people away from me at first, but one presentation with the class' 'Kyoko' if I could put it like later that and suddenly, I wasn't that scary anymore.
Something sparked in the girl representative, Shizuku, when she looked at me, then at Arro.
"Actually, if Sini-san and De Luca-san knew an Italian culinary specialty easy and quick to do, it would be a plus for our menu." I pursed my lips and shot Arro a look.
"We can think of something Shizuku-chan!" my best friend replied with a grin. She scoffed at his familiarity and went on about the other preparations that needed to be made.
During lunch break, Arro received a call. He was thoughtful for the rest of the break, something even Ryohei noticed as he shot me a curious look. I discreetly shrugged, basically reminding him I wasn't a mind reader.
However, I kept a close eye on my best friend during the rest of the afternoon.
"Sini, De Luca and Yamanaka, go in the teachers room after your last class," our teacher said at the end of his class.
Okay...what did I do? I never had any reproach since I started school here.
Alaric's class was slow and he raised a brow at us following him to the teachers room. Yamanaka, a pretty regular boy, told him we were summoned.
"Alright. You three are the only ones who didn't choose a high-school for next year." Oh, so this is what it is about. "Did you even get the paper?"
"Right…so my dog at..." the teacher glared at Yamanaka's excuse.
"I don't believe that." He gave us a paper. "Now fill this in!" Yamanaka did it quickly and left while my eyes were glued to the paper.
High school?
To be honest, I was sick of going to school. I didn't need it and having it took so much of my time...it was starting to get on my nerves. Actually...now I was thinking about it, being stuck in Namimori with Tsunayoshi and his crew started to...not be annoying but…
I knew Iemitsu extended my mission with a stupid motive because he wanted me to keep an eye on his son, but I was pretty sure I could be useful somewhere else. Sure, being in the same town as Shamal was useful but…
Would I be stuck in this town forever? So many things had changed since we were sent in the Future after all.
"Actually sensei, I will not attend high school in Namimori or even in Japan," Arro's voice broke me out of my thoughts. Alaric seemed to be listening as well. "I am returning to my old school in Chicago in September as a senior in high-school. I got the confirmation during lunch break." Arro shot me a quick look.
His smile was faint.
"I see, well if it has already been taken care of then just write down your city." Arro nodded and our sensei looked at me. "And you Sini?" I remained quiet and he sighed. "You know, with your grades you could easily get in Midori-High, the private school for girls." Haru's, wasn't it? "Or even in a better school in Tokyo or Italy if you wanted to go back home."
"I know sensei," I replied quietly with a small frown. "Let's just say that...I'm not sure if I want to go to hig..." He widened his eyes comically.
"No!" He stood up. "I'm sorry, but I can't let a brilliant student says she wants to drop out of school! What about your future!?"
"Well...I kind of already have a secured job waiting for m..."
"If it is secured, why would you drop out of school? I don't know what job it is, but I'm sure the more knowledge you have, the better you will be at it. What about university? You would do great there and maybe actually be challenged."
"University..." Wasn't it where Arro and I met TYL Byakuran? Was it...safe to go in university in this timeline? Who knew who I'd meet?
Would I even be able to go to university? How did my TYL self manage this with Mafia business?
"You are a young girl with a promising future ahead of her Sini, don't deny doors because you know one is already opened."
"Actually, said future may not be possible if she does not pass PE." Our gym teacher said as she walked up to us. I blinked at her. "You missed every exams Sini, the only exam with vacant spots is baseball. Fail baseball and you're not graduating."
"...but I never played baseball?" Arro threw his arm around my neck and I grabbed said arm.
"We played together!"
"You made me run after a ball like a dog."
"I've signed you up for the exam. It's in two weeks, on Wednesday at four in the afternoon."
"Well, take care of baseball first Sini and think about what I told you." I nodded and left the room with Arro.
"Chicago?" I asked him as we started walking toward the DC room.
"It was the deal Lulu," Arro reminding me with a shrug. "I have to go home someday." I furrowed my brows. Sure...his home was in Chicago after all.
I forgot about it and was used to having him as a roommate.
He smacked me behind the head. I rubbed the back of my head and he put his hands in his pockets.
"You should be happy, Kyoya and you will be able to go crazy in the apartment without worrying about me walking on you!" I blushed furiously and he grinned. "You didn't think you could fool me, right Lulu? I know you both and you've been undressing each other with your eyes when you think nobody's looking!" I put my hands on my burning cheeks. "I'm hurt you didn't tell me anything. I get it for Kyoya, but you? I'm hurt."
"...it's not as if we ever really talked about it. I'm still figuring this all out as well."
"That's why I'd feel more at ease if he woke up before I left. Your brother won't always be here and Alaric has his own stuff to do, so Kyoya should be able to take you to the hospital quickly next time you need it." I could say I wouldn't need it and wouldn't get hurt again but…
It was not what he was implying from the harsh glint in his blue eyes. Of course he knew. I never really told him I'd die young, but I mentioned it during my Trial and he was there. Arro was smart in spite of everything, he put two and two together.
"In any case..." he trailed off, walking faster as we neared the DC room. He opened the door wide. "Kusakabe!"
"Arro-san?" I raised my hand in greeting, peeking above Arro's shoulder. "Ana-san?"
"Do you mind if I borrowed Lulu after club hours? She needs to pass PE to graduate and doesn't know a thing about baseball."
"Of course not, I will arrange for Suzuki-san to help." I couldn't help but shudder at the thought of that girl. She'd glare at me each time we saw each other.
However, she was useful on campus, just as the Shimons were to regularly patrol Namimori and be at the checkpoint. They were not on their own of course.
"And if I can't teach you..." Arro narrowed his eyes at me and I gulped. "I'll bring Yamamoto and his weird explanations."
Sweet.
I had to think about my future, baseball and the school festival. There was also Alaric's past, but other than that, I had normal preoccupations at the moment.
It would be a nice for a change.
Fratellanza
Thanks for reading this chapter! Thanks to LyriaHart for the review!
Bye!